St Kilda Relieved - A Story in Pictures
20th Feb - 29th March 2003
Museum nan Eilean

In July this year, Miss Sheila Taylor from Hull presented to Museum nan Eilean a fine photographic album that belonged to her late father, Doctor Charles Taylor. The gift also included a selection of his personal writings and his cap of St Kilda tweed. These important donations provided the stimulus for the forthcoming exhibition.

The exhibition reveals the story of a 'mercy mission' to St Kilda mounted by the Daily Mirror in the Spring of 1912, recorded by Dr Taylor through his observations as attending physician and includes the commentary made by the Daily Mirror journalist and photographer that accompanied the relief tug 'Victor' from Glasgow to St Kilda. The following extract from the newspaper on 20 May 1912 gives an account of the start of the expedition:

"St Kilda, the lonely home of eighty Scots in the Outer Hebrides, and the most isolated spot in Great Britain, has been in danger of starvation. On learning of the plight of these islanders on Saturday afternoon, The Daily Mirror instantly decided to organise a relief expedition. And within a few hours that expedition, despite enormous difficulties, had been organised and was on its way to the assistance of the 'beleaguered' eighty."

Included in the exhibition are a number of other significant objects linked to St Kilda that provide and insight into island life, notably a spinning wheel purchased from one of the islanders at the time of evacuation in 1930; a selection of rare postal memorabilia and photographic images; garments made from St Kilda tweed and yarn and a set of hand cards recently donated to Museum nan Eilean.

'St Kilda Relieved - A Story in Pictures' is open Monday & Thursday 9am - 4pm and Tuesday & Friday 9am - 8pm, Wednesday 9am - 12.30pm, Saturday 11am - 1pm, 2pm - 4pm and has free admission.

Landing supplies at Village Bay, St Kilda, May 1912

Interior of the schoolroom, St Kilda, May 1912